Page 45 of Make My Heart Malt

“Me too,” I sigh, my voice heavy with sorrow. As I spin around to go to the car, I notice a house with lights on ahundred yards through the trees. “Do you think the owner lives over there?”

She glances at the dark driveway, then back at me, and shrugs. “We’re here, so it’s worth a shot.”

Both of us get in the car, and I reverse out of the parking spot to drive toward the plowed driveway. The silhouette of the trees casts an eerie shadow over the snow as we approach the house. One thing I hate about winter in Minnesota is that it gets dark by five o’clock. Approaching a stranger’s house in the dark, with the closest neighbor miles away, causes my hackles to raise. At this point, the possibility of getting a new lucky penny outweighs the possibility of anything bad happening. I park next to a sidewalk that leads to the house.

My fingers grip the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. This is my only hope. “You stay here. If anything happens to me, jump in the driver’s seat and take off.”

“And what about you?”

“I’ll fend for myself.”

She digs into the pocket of her coat. “I’ll come with you. I have this.” She holds up a can of pepper spray. “After Rylee’s scare with her ex-husband and a former Porter’s bartender, I got cans for my car, purse, and coat.”

A smile twitches on my lips. I love that she’s prepared. “Let’s do this.” We both exit the SUV and walk the shoveled walkway side-by-side. When we reach the stairs, I drop Dessa’s hand and continue toward the door. With each step, my hand grows clammy, and the anxiety builds up inside me. I’m not sure if I’m more nervous about whoever lives here being a serial killer or if they’ll have the penny machine I’m looking for. I tap my knuckles against the solid wood door. A few seconds pass before the murmuring voices come from the other side. Then the light above my head flickers to life.

The door opens, and an older man with a full head of white hair and deep creases around his eyes greets me. “What can I do for you?” His voice is hoarse and raspy.

“I was wondering if you’re the owner of Earl’s Logging Camp?”

“Yes. I am. But we’re closed for the day. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”

He starts to close the door, but I stop him with my hand. “I was really hoping for a huge favor.”

He pulls his glasses down the bridge of his nose. “Wait. Are you Dawson? Garrett Dawson?”

A glimmer of hope sparks inside of me. Maybe he’s a fan, and I can bribe him with an autograph.

“Tough break, kid. During the championship game, but you secured the win for my team.”

Then the little glimmer dies a smoldering death. “Well, at least something good came out of it for someone.”

“What can I do for you?”

I’m thankful he’s at least willing to hear me out. “Strange as it may sound, when I was in middle school, we came to Earl’s for a class trip. Inside the main building, you had a penny machine. If you put a penny in, and turned a knob, it would flatten the penny and imprint it with a mallard.”

His eyes light up with recognition. “Oh yes, I remember that. All the kids loved that machine.”

“When I was here, I did one and it kind of became my lucky penny. Then I lost it. So, I’m here to make another one, hopefully. I’ll be real quick.”

Sorrow washes over his face. “I wish I could help you. But I got rid of that machine years ago. It stopped working, and I didn’t want to bother getting it fixed.”

My heart plummets into my gut. This was my only chance of replacing my lucky penny. I don’t know of anyother place that would have the same machine. “Thanks for your help. Sorry to bother you.” I turn on my heel.

Dessa’s waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. When I reach her, she wraps her arms around my waist. “I’m sorry, Garrett. You’re more than welcome to take this penny, even though it’s just a regular penny. Maybe I can rub it on my boobs for good luck.”

A small laugh escapes me. “Thanks.” I lean down and press my lips to her forehead. “It’s just a penny, right? Losing it doesn’t mean I’ll be cursed with a lifetime of bad luck, does it?”

“It’s only a superstition. Your skills are all you and not because of a penny.”

While her words are meant to reassure me, I’m still convinced it’s what caused me to lose the game.

“Perhaps I can take your mind off the penny.” She drags the tip of her finger down my chest.

“You might have to try really hard.” I smirk.

“I’m up for the challenge.” A lust-filled glint shimmers in her irises. “Even if it takes all night.”

TWENTY-TWO

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